EchoStar Introduces New High-Definition DVR Receiver for the HD Enthusiast

[SteveR]

The 612 doesn't appear to solve the problem for the person up against the 4 tuner lease limit that wanted to upgrade their single tuner non-HD DVR (5xx) to a single tuner HD DVR.

[danm2z]

What Dish really needs to do is create a box which will power 2 HDTVs. I imagine this can be done with some of the Sling Box technology which they recently purchased. Put the Sling circuitry in the receiver (along with HomePlug AV). Sell a slave box as an in-home receiver to take the Sling signals and display them via HDMI on the remote TV. Potentially, they could run multiple slave boxes off a single receiver (charging a separate fee for each, of course). This would simplify installation (only a single cable run from the dishes / switch) and reduce upgrade costs (the slaves could remain with an upgraded box). If they do it right, they could even sell to other video companies.

[clapple]

This sounds like the perfect thing to replace my 510. Can we get on the waiting list; or can't we call until Feb.?

[Van]

I like it, its an hd version of the 721 and will allow for an hd dual tuner to be at each hd tv in a house. There have been several threads on here where people have stated they have 2 / 3 / 4 and more hd tvs in the house and this would be better than having a 622/722 at each location set in single mode and it'll be hassle free to get the 612 as opposed to trying to get the others. First smart move I've seen from Dish in a long time.

[Van]

This sounds like the perfect thing to replace my 510. Can we get on the waiting list; or can't we call until Feb.?

Cal feb 2, first day is never a good time to call.

[Van]

The 612 doesn't appear to solve the problem for the person up against the 4 tuner lease limit that wanted to upgrade their single tuner non-HD DVR (5xx) to a single tuner HD DVR.

As long as they categorize it as they did the 721 then it will be considered a single receiver for one tv so keep your fingers crossed.

[jcrash]

The 612 doesn't appear to solve the problem for the person up against the 4 tuner lease limit that wanted to upgrade their single tuner non-HD DVR (5xx) to a single tuner HD DVR.

Exactly. Where is the SINGLE TUNER HD DVR? That is what people need.

[Ken F]

Some are asking why Echostar introduced this box.

I believe this is Echostar's version of the DirecTV HR21. The HR21 incorporates a new integrated DVR CPU from Broadcom which helps to significantly reduce manufacturing cost. This allowed DirecTV to reduce its cost for every HDTV DVR from $450 to $250.

One of the differences between this new chip and the old is the elimination of the second decoder. It cannot decode and output two different channels simultaneously, so picture-in-picture and TV2 output are no longer possible. Of course, you still get a picture window in the guide and menus; that does not require the decoding of two different channels.

[bxl4]

Given that this new box won't have the complications of two remotes talking to one receiver and no rf cabling from room to room, won't this be a pretty simple unit to install oneself?

My greatest impediment to upgrading to HD is the WAF about "no low-life installers in my house."

Getting Dish to ship a 622/722 for self-install seems hard-to-impossible depending upon what you read amongst these threads.

Thanks for your thoughts,

Bill

[hrxtreme]

On the topic of remotes... it appears to be an RF remote. Saw a picture of the back and there's a jack for the remote antenna.